Illuminated display sign



F. B.' RAE ILL1 JMIman@` msnm! SIGN Filed march w, 1926- INVENTOR. en/KKHE y ATTORN S.

Patented Get. 9, y1928.v

' UNITED STATES PATENTLomcE.;

1 FRANK B. RAE, or BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA- ILLUMINATED nIsrLAY SIGN.v

' 'Application filed March so, 1926.v serial No.79a437,

f displayed thereby create the illusion that they are in motion, therebyrendering the sign very effective for advertising or attractionpurposes.V l f In carrying out this object I arrange each iigure orcharacter to be illuminated into light and shadow Zones eachot whichinclude a suiiicient portion of figure'or character so as to fullyoutline it when displayed independently ot the other zone.'V The zonesare alternately illuminated in comparatively rapid succession whichcreates the visual impression that the character or ligure is in motion.

One form which the invention may assume is exemplified in the followingdescription and illustrated by way ot' example in the accompanyingdrawings, in which :V

Fig. 1 is a view of the device with the display plate removed showingthe manner in which the lighting effect is obtained. i.

Fig; 2is a front elevation ot the sign showing the rela-tive positionsof the zones of the ligure illustrated as an example.

Fig. Sis a transverse section through the sign disclosing itsconstruction.

F ig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing one method oic illuminating thezones alternately.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings7 10 indicates acasing having opaque back and end walls 11, and a dis- A play plate 12.This display plate is supported at its marginal edges by the end wallsof the casing at a spaced distance trom the baclr plate 11 inparalleli-sm therewith. Formed on the display plate 12 is a figure orcharacter 14, which is of translucent material so that illuminationinteriorly ot the casing will illuminate it. The background surroundingthe ligure or character is opaque.

Dividing the interior of the casing 10 into compartments are a pluralityot kpartitions 15 which extend between adjacent surfaces of the backwall 11 and plate 12 at right angles to the plane surfaces ot thesemembers. Two of these partit-ions or those indicated at 16 and 17 extenddiagonally of the casing, while the other, indicated at 18, extendsvertically.

In the present instance the character on the :tace plate is the letterX. It will be noticed that the diagonal partitions 16 and 17 extendexactly through th'efcenter of the legs of the l X, while the verticalpartition 18 intersects the letter exactly at its center. Thesepartitions 16, 17 and 18 divide the interior of the compartment into sixlight-proof compart-` T';

ments 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24. The compartments 19, 21 and 23 areilluminated by light bulbs 19a which are in the same circuit and areadapted to be illuminated in unison. The compartments 20, 22 and 24 areeach fitted with an electric bulb 20a, all of which are in the samecircuit and adapted to be illuminated in unison.

y, Itfwill be noticed from F v1 that the illu.-V mination in eachcompartment controls Athe illumination of a certain portion ot' theletter arranged on the display plate 12. r`In other words, thecompartment 19 illuminates one- ,half ofthe right-hand V portion oi theletter,

while the compartments 21 and'23 illuminate oneshalf of the left hand Vportion of the letter. `Likewise, the compartment -22 controls theilluminationof the otherhalf of the letthand V portion of the letter,while the compartments 2O and 24contr0l the illumination of theremaining portion of the right-hand V portion of the letter.

It will be noticed also that the portions of the letter controlled bythe compartments 20, 22 and 24 are vat the left of those portionscontrolled by the compartments 19, 21 and 23. Thus, in effect, dividingthe letter into alight and a shadow Zone. One zonebeing that portion ofthe letter controlled by the compartments 19, 21 and 23, the other zonebeing that controlled by the compartments 20, 22 and 24.

Each zone includes sut'icient of the lett-er to form a perfect X whenilluminated independently of the other, and in ette-ct the Zones arerelatively disposed side b-y side, forming in fact two interwovenletters Xs.

As before stated the illuminating means in the various compartments isso arranged that the compartments of each Zone will be illuminated inunison.

Reference being had to the diagram 25 indiwill be created that theletter is in motion.

It is obvious that the display plate can be arranged on both sides ofthe sign or that the t sign can be arranged other than vertically asdisclosed. Likewise, the invention is applicable to any letter o'l'f thealphabet` or the ligures and characters of any description.

While in the present instance the letter is shown as capable of givingthe impression of sidewise movement, by rearranging thelighting,movement other than sidewise may be imparted to the letter.

A sign constructed according to my present y rious changes in itsconstruction may be made by those skilled in the art without departingfrom the spirit olithe invention, as define-d in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

Vl. An illuminated display sign comprising l an opaque display platehaving a translucent indiciuin formed thereon, said indicium beingdivided into Zones each completely forme ing the indicium whenilluminated independently, separate illuminating means at one side ofthe plate Jfor each or' said zones, and

means for illuminating said illuminating means alternately to givetheindicium the appearance of being` in motion.

2. An illuminated display sign comprising a display plate having anindiciumot translucent material formed thereon, said indiciuin beingdividedinto two Zones, each zone beingV adapted to completely. outlinethe indicium when illuminated independentlv. and means for alternatelyilluminating` saidv zones in comparatively rapid succession to createthe visual impression that said indicium is in motion. f i

3. An illuminated display sign compris ing a casing having an opaquedisplay plate, f

an indiciuin formed on said display plate and being translucent, meanswithin the casingdividing said indicium into zones relatively disposedside by side, each Zone being adapted to F completely block ont theindicium when illuminated independently, and means disposedV within thecasing Vadapted to alternately illuminate said zones in comparativelyrapid succession. f Y

ll. An illuminated display sign comprising a casing having a displayplate, an indiciuin `formed on said display plate of translucentmaterial, partitions within the casing dividing said indicium into Zonesrelatively disposed side by side and each capable of'completely blockingout the indiciuni when being illuminated independently, and illuminatingmeans disposed within the casing and opera-V tive to alternatelyilluminate said Zones to create the visu al impression that saidindicium is in motion. l

'FRANK Bf'niin. f

